Friday, 16 October 2015

Photography – nothing much has changed since its birth. It’s the same old story of a box with a lens and a game of light and shadow to record images.

Its history in India has been glorious. Colonial rule boosted it more. Since then, it has flourished technologically. Lens quality has become better, camera mechanics have improved, and the art has rapidly turned into a mainstream career option, a bread-winning way for many. Photography, today, is an established, multifaceted industry in our country.

'Homebound' by Sudipto Das

What does the future hold for this industry?

This is a thing to ponder, because the world is rapidly and digitally advancing. Pause for a while and take a look back at the past. Not many years ago, it was entirely the age of not very efficient miniature camera.

Today, high end smartphones and other mobile gadgets are easy to access, and with these devices, the art has gone to a higher level. Amateurs and professionals are thronging the market like anything. With editing software, everyone seems to be turning pro.

Further, the world has suddenly turned selfie crazy. Grasped tight within such a rage, professional photography may find it difficult to breathe. But, who knows what the technology of the unforeseen days has in store?

Source: Bhak Sala

A drastic change in online business can be predicted:

Indian photographers are ditching their physical studios and art galleries, and relying on the World Wide Web more. They are sure to have a website of their own, if not a traditional studio.

The reason is pretty simple – a basic, plain website is easy to set up, less time consuming and low fund demanding compared to a brick-and-mortar room. And, why waste on developing solid prints when e-prints can be securely stored and offered to consumers when requested?

They have, thus, taken up their businesses online and operating via this virtual space. From training sessions to selling pictures to sharing creations on social media, the endeavors are largely being facilitated by the digital world. The time ahead surely would open wider opportunities and bigger scope of ancillary work.

Source: Medianovak

Let’s look at it from the consumer’s side:

Ordering and receiving prints online is hassle-free. You not only save energy, but also time and money. On the other hand, when you visit an offline store, you have to wait for your turn, which might turn bothersome. Moreover, a physical store can never contain as much variety as an online store.

Furthermore, you have the option of customization in the latter. You can select the paper of your choice, settle on a quality which you think is good, and even select the perfect size that you want to buy. The future of photography industry in Indiais definitely moving toward this virtual world.

Photographer: Arjun Kamath, Source: StorySpotted

Above all, creative minds have bent toward innovations. Conventions no longer satiate creations. Like the creators of Indian contemporary art, the lens men of the country, too, are finding the art as an outlet of creativity.

Styles are changing, concepts are getting renewed, and taboos are gradually being disregarded. India is getting modernized, and the entire industry is moving toward a mega revolution. So far, so good.

Monday, 28 September 2015

A few years back, I had ordered a few tacky-looking jewelry sets from a leading eCommerce website (today, I wonder why I did). The deal was nothing unique. There was a pink choker set with large, dangling earrings, on display, and three other multicolored scoop shorts of weird designs. I was into my first job and enjoying the liberty of spending self-earned money to the fullest. Perhaps.

So, I had placed a COD order with a Rs 2000 plus something bill. And, I was excited. It was the first thing I was going to buy with my salary. And it felt great. I eagerly waited for the delivery date to arrive. However, the product never came. The tracking tool on the website said it ‘had already been shipped.’ So, I sent back an e-mail inquiring about my order. Luckily, their response was quick.

“Dear Miss Deka, we are extremely sorry for the inconvenience and delay caused. Your product will be delivered tomorrow at 4 pm by so-and-so person.”

The wait was on. The delivery boy came the next day with a big package. I handed him the cash and quickly rushed inside the office to open it. There were three packages. The pink choker was missing. And one of the other two sets was broken.

So, there was another e-mail inquiring about the missing product and the replacement of the broken set. The response was quick again. “Dear Miss Deka, we sincerely apologize the inconvenience caused. Could you specify the model numbers of the two products?” The model numbers were mailed. And there was another response. “Dear Miss Deka, we are sending the two products at the earliest.” I was overjoyed and almost felt like a VIP. So, this means that the broken set need not be returned.

Five days later, another person was in my office, this time with a smaller package. The replacement was there, but the pink choker was still missing. The eCommerce firm had sent me a different set instead. So, there was some more emailing and complaining. More “Dear Miss Deka, we are sending the two products at the earliest” responses followed. A month later, I had three pieces of a set that wasn’t even included in the deal. And the most interesting part was, the firm had not demanded their return as of yet.

However, I was at my wit’s end. How could they not deliver my pink choker – the one because of which I had chosen the deal in the first place?!? So, I decided to try a trick this time. I hunted for that extra set on their website, noted its model number, and e-mailed them that I had not received the set. To my amusement, the pink choker was delivered this time. Wonderful, wonderful feeling! So, I had spent Rs 2000 plus something for 8 pieces of jewelry, had not I? Double profit, it was!

Sometimes I feel bad that I never inquired anything about returning the
extra sets. But then, even they didn’t, did they? So why bother? For me,
this was the best online deal of my life. It’s funny how I have never
worn the pink choker. And about the extra sets, well, they were given
away as gifts. Oh come on, you don't have to take it otherwise, do you?
:) :P

Saturday, 26 September 2015

How vegan do you think you are? Nice that you have cut on your consumption of meat. Great that you look around for organic products only. However, the factories and industries could be silently giving your vegan lifestyle a big blow. Want to know how? Go through these everyday product your are using. They usually contain animal parts (smirk)!

Perfume from sperm whale shit or vomit

Ambergris is the name for the excreta of sperm whales. It's rare and usually found floating in the oceans. It's solid, waxy, and out-and-out the poop of the mammal. Remember the bitter taste you experienced when you accidentally sprayed your costly perfume into your mouth. Ahem, poopy pleasure!

Ground up beetles in strawberry shakes and lipsticks

Carmine is a coloring agent acquired from crushed beetles. The industry has termed it a sophisticate name - Cochineal extract. Well, sadly, it is sometimes the red ingredient present in strawberry shakes. Um, Starbucks had almost blurted it out once (oops!). And, oh yes, have you been using any cosmetic product, especially lipstick that contains 'natural red 4' or 'carmine' or 'crimson lake.' Throw it away because you are applying beetle juice. Gee!

Beaver anal gland secretion and urine in vanilla ice cream

Castoreum, the brown, slimy thing that comes out of beaver's butt, goes into vanilla ice creams that you savor with such greed. Of course, you should not expect to acquire this biochemical in its purest form straight from the butt. Because the anal glands are located very near to the castor sac, from where Castoreum is secreted, the latter is a combo of beaver piss and other secretions of the gland as well. Hey, are you licking a beaver's butt right now?

Face creams with oil exudate from sheep skin

What happen to your hair when you don't wash it for days? It gets greasy, right? And, what if you've never ever taken a bath? Can you imagine the amount of oil that will accumulate in your scalp and hair? Now, think about a sheep with a lot of wool. The sebaceous glands present in the animal's skin excrete an oily product known as Lanolin, which is a great moisturizer. And, this is exactly what goes into most face creams.

Jello-O is boiled pig skin + bovine hide + pork & cattle bones

A protein called Gelatin is obtained when pig and bovine skin, tendons, ligaments and bones are boiled in water. It is used as a thickener in puddings, Jell-Os, ice creams, marshmallow, cakes, and candies. Um, watch what you are eating!

Energy drinks are bull bile

Taurine is a naturally occurring substance present in bull bile. It is extracted from the animal and introduced in energy drinks. Check the can right now. If it says 'Taurine' you sure are drinking bull bile. By the way, Red Bull is quite a nice (self explanatory) name, don't you think?

Shark liver oil in lipstick and eye makeup

Squalene is a substance derived from shark liver oil. This compound can mimic the natural moisturizers present in our body. It behaves as a lubricant on the surface of our skin, absorbing very quickly, and giving us a flawless appearance. Ugh, shark up!

Fish scales in nail polish

Does you nail polish contain 'pearl essence?' Well, this is not derived from some pearl found in the deepest of the deep oceans, like you believe it is. It is Guanine in disguise, which comes from fish scales. The scales are cleaned and mixed with solvents like castor oil. Coloring pigments are added, and bingo! Your bottle of nail polish happens! Yes, bitter truth, it is. Sounds very fishy, right?

Bull semen in hair products

Silky, shiny hair - don't you just love it? But, would you mask your mane with bull semen all over to get it? Ew. But, the fact is, you might actually be applying it already (yes, unknowingly). There are some shampoos and conditioners that make use of this yucky product. By the way, there's something called semen facial as well. Want to go for it?

Snail slime in scar treatment and anti aging creams

The slime is a concoction of proteins, anti-oxidants, and hyaluronic acid. These three ingredients assist in skip repair. They pull out dead cells, reduce inflammation, moisturize skin, and keep it safe from wrinkles. No wonder the cocktail has found its way into scar treatment and age-defying creams. Have you ever rubbed snail slime on your face?

Lamb / sheep intestine in condoms

Not all condoms are made of latex. Study the packet. If it says 'lambskin,' then it surely has come from the intestine of a lamb or sheep. And its perforated. With no guarantee of keeping viruses and bacteria away. But, on second thoughts, what has a condom to do with being vegetarian? Oops.

Saturday, 19 September 2015

No matter how many times I go through the suicide note, a chill runs down my spine. And, suddenly I realize all over again how the prejudices of life cannot be drowned even by the best of riches and fame. No, glamour cannot be equal to felicity if we go by the life and words of Kurt Cobain. The sweetness of success lasts only until the point we want it to. Even if we are surrounded by a huge crowd of admirers, the uproar cannot pierce through our loneliness unless we allow it to.

Sometimes, even the most familiar of senses go numb, and the wakefulness dawns upon us that whatever we and our achievements are today, is soon going to become history. So, wasting time doing things we don’t want to do, or things that don’t excite us is simply unaffordable. We are so busy impressing others that we forget to live our own life. How pathetic is that? Yes, we have only one life. And, here are the lessons from Cobain’s suicide note you must remember if you want to live it happily:

Defy the mundane.

If a certain work is not instilling interest in your heart, you can never do it with perfection. Flaws will come up every time and suffocate you with guilt – of wrongdoing, of imperfection, and of failure.

We have always known Cobain as an extraordinary music persona, a songwriter, a performer. Nirvana goes synonymous with this name. We have seen his zeal on stage and felt the fire in his tone. But, was Cobain living in his own skin? Was he happy doing it? What made him cook up ‘Boddah’ in the first place?

Yes, when you can’t communicate your inner voice to the world out there, you tend to detach yourself from it. The roar of the crowd goes unheard. And the moment your work loses its charm in your eyes, it is nothing more than slogging. Do you want to keep on doing it? Would it not be wiser to break free?

Success cannot cure despondency.

There’s no solution to your low spirits other than yourself. The success achieved in your work is like a painkiller. Its action is temporary. And, eventually when the effect wears off, the pain comes back, and it is even more unbearable.

The best way to combat despair is to stop being stagnant. The more you are saturated with success of one kind, the more monotonous it will get. If you are an artist, try your hands in singing. If you are a writer, indulge in pottery. May be then, you will learn to appreciate your skills and your work.

Wear the hide like an elephant.

No one is immune to heartbreak. However, the more you are permeable to misery, the more it will grasp you. And it’s a bad, harsh world out there. You must prepare your bones for the inevitable onslaught. Unfortunately, Cobain had realized it very late.

Yes, be like the little child who cries his heart out for the sake of his broken toy in one moment, and cheers up the in the very next when a new one arrives. Stay miserable and the world is going to get on your nerves.

You can’t stay in everyone’s good books.

All throughout your life, you will meet some people who will love you and others who wouldn’t think twice before breaking your heart. It’s okay to have a few foes. It’s even okay to have no friends at all. Fair weather is not wanted as a replacement of quality.

Yes, this is what you become when you try to love one and all. Learn to create bridges and break meaningless ties. And yes, there’s no use trying to fix a broken mirror. Learn to let go.

Stop being charitable about trust.

Pin your faith on people with great caution. The more you are sure about them, the more the chances of you getting hurt. It’s good to be skeptical about a person’s good deeds and doubt his intentions, because you are just saving your little, brittle heart.

A good way is to hope for the best and stay prepared for the worst. A person’s true color shows up only in the darkest hour. And, if you want to witness this, untie the blindfold of trust covering your eyes. So, what are you waiting for? Snap out of the societal norms. Let the sunshine touch your inner self.

Sunday, 5 July 2015

Were you thinking ‘heavy’? Or planning ‘waterproof’? No matter how relieving the rain is, it can take a merciless toll on your look, leaving behind a disaster. So, here’s what to avoid and embrace this monsoon:

• Remember to keep your face extremely clean. The rain brings with it all the possibilities of bad infections. You don’t want the dirt sticking to your face before you paint it, do you?

Source: Huffington Post

• Ditch using the foundation this season, because with a heavy downpour comes humidity. Your face is going to sweat a lot, and make your foundation melt and come off very easily.

Source: CollegeTimes

• Use face powder. It will control the sweat and make your makeup last longer. Of course, you must use it in small amounts to avoid caking.

Source: Our Vanity

• Go for eye makeup, which looks subtle. Use a kohl pencil instead of a liquid one. In this way, you will save your eye makeup from getting dripped away in the rain. Also, if you want to use eye shadow, choose natural colors and powder-based products. And yes, please say no to mascara.

Source: Become Gorgeous

• Using a gloss for your lips is a bad idea when it’s raining. Opt for a matte-finish lipstick instead. Use dark colors because they last longer. To make your lip makeup more durable, apply lip balm prior to using lipstick.

Source: Top 10 Inaction

• Use a blush, which is bright-colored. While it is advisable to ditch the blush altogether, a cream-based product is better than a powder-based one.

Source: Style Ramp

• Never wear your hair open in the rain. Tie it up in a simple bun. Of course, you should avoid using hair sprays and gels if you don’t want your tresses to tangle, or your scalp to breed dandruff. Regular oiling helps in controlling frizzy hair.

Source: Medium Hairstyles Haircuts

• Finally, go for simple jewelry. Replace that choker with a light, little necklace. Wear a pair of studs instead of drops and dangles. Your ultimate aim should be to look as natural as possible.

Source: Pinterest

Yes, maintaining your makeup during monsoons can be chaotic. So, whenever you step out, always remember to carry an umbrella. It’s a big savior from the rains.